Since the introduction of computers there has been an ever increasing need for systems capable of storing large amounts of digital data. Ideally, digital data storage systems also provide convenient access to the stored data at the lowest possible cost. In the last five years, the need for storing digital data has grown by as much as fifty percent (50%) to one hundred percent (100%) per year. The growth in the need for digital data storage systems has led to various linear tape technologies capable of efficiently storing large amounts of data. Two of the leading linear tape technologies are digital linear tape (DLT) technology and linear tape open (LTO) technology. The linear tape technologies package linear magnetic tape in housing systems. The tape and housing systems may be collectively referred to as DLT cartridge systems and LTO cartridge systems, respectively. Though some cartridge system features may vary depending upon the manufacturer of the cartridge system, those having ordinary skill in the art are familiar with the standard features of DLT cartridge systems and LTO cartridge systems.
FIG. 1 shows a side view of a typical prior art DLT cartridge system 100. A DLT cartridge housing 102 has a generally square shape with a top 104, a bottom 106, a rear side 108, and an exposed side 110 that are each approximately 4.1″ (105 mm). The DLT cartridge housing 102 has a right side 112 and a left side (not shown) that are separated by approximately 1″ (25.4 mm). The DLT cartridge housing 102 also has a first corner 114. In the top portion 120 of the DLT cartridge housing 102 is a cavity 122. In the cavity 122 are two ribs 116. The DLT cartridge housing 102 also has a bottom portion 118.
FIG. 2 shows a side view of a typical prior art LTO cartridge system 200 targeted at applications requiring ultra-high capacity backup. The LTO cartridge housing 202 has a generally rectangular shape with a top 204 and a bottom 206 that are each approximately 4″ (102 mm). The LTO cartridge also has a rear side 208 and an exposed side 210 that are each approximately 4.1″ (105 mm). The LTO cartridge housing 202 has a right side 212 and a left side (not shown) that are separated by approximately 0.8″ (21.5 mm). The LTO cartridge housing 202 also has a partially recessed first corner 214 that forms a recess 222 in the top portion 220 of the LTO cartridge housing 202. The top 204 has a notch 216. The LTO cartridge housing 202 also has a bottom portion 218. LTO cartridge housings are thus slightly slimmer than DLT cartridge housings.
Digital data storage systems generally include a controller, one or more drive systems, one or more cartridge moving systems, and a plurality of receiving devices for storing cartridge systems. In operation, a plurality of cartridge systems are placed into a plurality of receiving devices. The receiving devices may be a removable or fixed cartridge magazine, an automatic tape cartridge picker, a library, a storage rack, a mail slot, or any of various other receiving devices known to those having ordinary skill in the art. The receiving devices may include one or more sleeves for storing the cartridge systems. The cartridge systems are generally inserted into the receiving devices and/or sleeve with the rear side of the cartridge system facing into the receiving device and/or sleeve. That is, the rear side of the cartridge system is inserted into the receiving device and/or sleeve first. The cartridge moving system transports a selected cartridge system to a drive system as the controller calls for stored data to be read from the selected cartridge system, or as the controller orders the writing of data to the selected cartridge system. When the drive system has completed its task, the cartridge moving system transports the cartridge system to one of the plurality of receiving devices and/or sleeves.
Magazines are generally portable devices that include a housing that forms a plurality of sleeves. Some magazine sleeves are configured to hold a DLT cartridge system and others are configured to hold an LTO cartridge system. A sleeve configured to store an LTO cartridge system may be generally similar to a sleeve configured to store a DLT cartridge system. However, the sleeve configured to store the LTO cartridge system may be narrower or have some structure, such as ribs, to bias the LTO cartridge system to the opposing side of the sleeve.
Also, a sleeve configured to hold one type of cartridge system may have a lockout system that is not compatible with another type of cartridge system. The lockout system is designed to prevent the insertion of a cartridge system in an incorrect orientation that would render the tape unreadable by the data storage system. For example, sleeves configured to store DLT cartridge systems 100 may be associated with a DLT lockout system to ensure the DLT cartridge systems 100 are inserted into the sleeve in the correct orientation. Although, the “correct orientation” depends upon the configuration of the digital data storage system, generally the DLT cartridge system 100 is inserted into the sleeve such that the rear side 108 is inserted first and therefore ends up toward the back of the sleeve. The DLT lockout system may include a protrusion that lines up with the cavity 122 of the DLT cartridge system 100 only when the DLT cartridge system 100 is inserted in the correct orientation.
Digital data storage systems may also include an identification system that allows the controller of the digital data storage system, or the host computer system, to read information regarding the data stored on the linear tape of the cartridge system without having to read the tape. The module is often read by an interface that does not require a physical connection between the cartridge system and the identification system. The identification system may include a barcode system.
Various aspects of digital data storage systems that may include magazine sleeves configured to store cartridge systems are described in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,291, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Exchanging Data Cartridges in a Jukebox Data Storage System,” issues to Mueller, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,699, entitled “Modular Data Storage System Utilizing a Wireless Cartridge Access Device,” issued to Luffel, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,539, entitled “System and Method for Providing Wireless Control Signals to Cartridge Access Device in a Cartridge Storage System,” issued to Holmquist, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,786, entitled “Cartridge Engaging Assembly with Rack Drive Thumb Actuator System,” issued to Coffin, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,180, entitled “Method and Apparatus for a Digital Linear Tape Lockout System,” to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,975, entitled “Barcode Module for an Automated Data Storage Library,” issued to Irvine, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,205, entitled “Media Holding Device Incorporating a Media Locking Mechanism,” issued to Coffin, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,500, entitled “Data Cartridge Interlock Release Actuator System,” issued to Mueller, et al. An apparatus and method for retaining at least two different sizes of data cartridges is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/791,107 entitled “Apparatus and Method for Retaining Different Sizes of Data Cartridges in a Storage Magazine,” filed Feb. 22, 2001 by Coffin, et al. The patents, and the application, identified above are entirely incorporated herein by reference.
Various aspects of digital data storage systems have been described above as they apply to systems for either DLT cartridge systems 100 or for LTO cartridge systems 200. However, it would be useful to have a digital data storage system capable of storing, accessing and handling DLT cartridge systems 100 and LTO cartridge systems 200. In particular, it would be useful to have a magazine system for storing and handling DLT cartridge systems 100 and LTO cartridge systems 200.